The present invention relates to a vehicle body panel assembly for a vehicle having a chassis, and to a method for assembling the same. The invention is particularly suited to a tractor engine hood or bonnet assembly.
A problem encountered when assembling two or more body panels to a frame is that of aligning the panels with respect to each other, so that a uniform small gap is maintained between the edges of the respective panels. The problem is particularly apparent when the precise position and orientation of a given panel is determined by a mounting point or points remote from an edge of that panel which needs to be lined up closely with an adjacent panel. The problem is also more evident in assemblies where one of the panels needs to be easily released by some latching means.